Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Wisconsin's working people rise up again to fight right to work

It's freezing outside the Wisconsin Statehouse, but this Teamster
retiree weathered the cold to make a point.

Wisconsin workers continue the fight against right to work today as shivering protesters are packed outside the Statehouse while others make their voices heard inside.

Senators are debating a right-to-work bill on the Senate floor as union members sing songs of solidarity outside. Sen. Chris Larson, a Milwaukee Democrat, told the Republican majority that workers who waited nine hours yesterday to testify before a Senate committee were denied the opportunity.

Former Teamster and Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, wonders why they're in such a hurry to pass a bill today that was only introduced on Friday.

Brother Rob Moss, Business Agent for Teamsters Local 695 in LaCrosse, sent us the photo below:

Earlier, Brother Bennett shared with us his experience testifying against the right-to-work bill, SB44.

After long hours of waiting to testify against SB44, I got
to go on about 5:30 on Tuesday night.

Democratic senators Chris Larson and Bob Wirch did an outstanding job today related to being on task to dispel the
misgivings of right-to-work supporters such as The Heritage Foundation, ALEC
and Wisconsin's own Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. Both Larson and Wirch are senators within Teamsters Local 200 jurisdiction.

As I testified, I made reference to a comment by Republican Senator Scott Fitzgerald, who introduced SB44. I testified with the following
statement: "This morning I heard Senator Fitzgerald use the world
"simple." Last night I went to bed a simple man and I woke up a
simple man. I find nothing simple about this bill, and my membership takes this
act as no simple measure. It is strictly an attack on organized labor."